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Perry St. back-building blaze sparks ‘all hands’ response

Orson, being held on an improvised leash by Mitchell Reichler, got a pat from a friendly firefighter after the blaze was brought under control. Photos by Lincoln Anderson

A report of a fire in a four-story rear carriage house at 93 Perry St., between Hudson and Bleecker Sts., last Saturday just before 1 p.m. resulted in an “all hands” call that brought 60 firefighters speeding to the scene in 12 fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

The blaze was quickly brought under control.

Orson, left, and Mitchell Reichler were O.K.

Standing on the sidewalk outside, Mitchell Reichler, 56, holding a black boxer, Orson,  said he had returned to his ground-floor apartment and made himself a sandwich about 20 minutes before the firefighters arrived, and didn’t smell any smoke until he was rushing back out of his apartment.

A heater in the top apartment reportedly sparked the blaze, according to Reichler. He said the dog lives in that unit, but that the owner, who is “a private person,” was not home at the time.

Reichler, who works in video production, was holding Orson with a leash made of clear IV tubes that E.M.S. workers gave him.

“We’ve got the greatest Fire Department in the world,” he said.

The fire was reportedly in a back carriage house building through the arched doorway at left.

One firefighter was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

 

— Lincoln Anderson

No Orson did not need emergency fluids. The IV tubes were an improvised leash.